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Cumbrian men admit fake car crash con

Last updated at 11:42, Saturday, 05 January 2013

Three North Cumbrian men have admitted trying to con an insurance company by faking a car crash.

Mark Patterson, of Lochinvar Close, Longtown;Anthony Stirzaker, of Cumberland Street, Carlisle; and Tony Proudfoot, of Walton, near Brampton all pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court to a charge of conspiring together to commit fraud.

The charge stated that between June and October last year they plotted to hoodwink an insurance company into paying compensation for personal injury and damage suffered in a road traffic accident.

They claimed that the “accident” – in which, they said, they had been involved – was “genuine” when in fact it was not.

Judge Paul Batty QC called for the CPS to provide him with an “overview as to whether this was just a one-off or part of a larger conspiracy”.

The judge warned them they could go to prison.

He added: “These cases of so-called ‘cash for crash’ – with false incidents being engineered and false injuries being presented to the insurance companies – are something of a national scandal so the courts view this type of offence case extremely seriously,” he said.

“Each of you should understand you are facing the prospect of a possible custodial sentence.”